Shoe



Patented4 Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITI-:ng STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK 1?. STEIL, 0F CUDAHY, WISCONSIN.

SHOE.

Application meanovember 15, 1,923. serial No. 674,852.

The invention relates to stitch-down shoes.

As usually constructed, shoes are provided with a lining, generally of fabric, under the vamp. This lining, particularly in the region of the ball of the footor the widest part of the shoe, is subjected to heavy stretching strains because `of the natural tendency of the foot to spread or stretch the shoe in this locality, and the result is the vamp itself is stretched and the shoe loses its shapeand neat appearance and the foot itself may spread or run over the side of the shoe. The object of this invention is to provide a reinforcement for the liningv extending transversely of theshoe beneath the vamp in the 'region' of the ball or widest part of the foot, so as to prevent stretching and distortion of the vamp. 1

This invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof. y

In the drawings: Fig. l is a plan view of a shoe embodying the invention, part of the vamp being broken 'away ;.A Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2of Fig. 1.

As shown, the shoe 3 has a vamp 4, a

fabric lining 5, an inner sole 6 beneathl which the edges 7 of the lining extend and to which they are secured in V4any suitable way, as by adhesiveaf mid-sole'S and an outer sole 9. As is usual with stitch-down shoes,` the extended edge 10 of the `vamp is secured to the sole 8 by staples 1l, or other suitable means, and the welt 12, ythe edge 10,`

sole 8 andoutsole 9` are secured. together bystitching 13. v f i The constructionbf shoes thus far described is well known and it has been found `that with such a construction, because of the constant tendency of the foot to spread in` vits Awidest part, that is, in the region of the ball of the foot,the .lining stretches and consequently the vamp stretches in this v,region and becomes` loose and gets out of shape, thus destroying the appearance of the shoe and tending to produce overrunning'.` `T0 avoid these difliculties, I have provided a reinforcement consisting of ay relatively' wide strip 14- of strong, tightly woven fabric, hence relatively inelastic, ex-

tending' over and secured to the lining or vamp in the region of the ball of the foot or the widest part of the shoe, by suitable adhesive, and-preferably extending beneath the inner sole 6 to which it is secured in any suitable manner and with its ends l5 overlapped and secured together, in any suitable manner, to form a band. This `band eifectually prevents the lining from stretching and hence allows thejvamp to retain its initial form.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular construction or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a stitch-down shoe, the combination, with the vamp, a fabric vamp-lining, and the inner sole, of a relatively inelastic fabric strip beneath the vamp and extending over and across the lining at the widest part of the shoe and extending beneath and secured to the inner sole ,to prevent stretching of the lining and distortion of the vamp.

2. In a stitch-down shoe, the combination, with the vamp, a fabric vamp-lining and the inner sole, of a relatively inelastic fabric strip beneath the vamp and extending over of the shoe andbeneath the inner sole with its ends overlapped beneath said inner sole `and secured thereto and together, said strip FRANK P. STEIL,

`and across the lining at the widestpart 

